BMJ study: 560–610 minutes weekly

Researchers reported this week that the amount of exercise linked to large reductions in cardiovascular risk may be far higher than the standard public-health minimum. An observational study published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found adults may need 560 to 610 minutes a week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to reach what the authors defined as substantial protection. BMJ Group distributed the findings on May 20, 2026. The analysis also suggested people with lower fitness may need to do more exercise than fitter adults to reach similar benefit levels. ### How much exercise did the study say was tied to the biggest benefit? The study said 560 to 610 minutes a week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was associated with a greater than 30% reduction in risk of cardiovascular events. BMJ Group said that is about three to four times the current recommendation that adults get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-to-vigorous activity. The 150-minute threshold was still linked to benefit, but a smaller one. Researchers found adults who met that guideline saw a modest 8% to 9% reduction in cardiovascular risk, and that pattern was consistent across fitness levels. ### What kind of study was this? Researchers from Macao Polytechnic University analyzed data from 17,088 people in the UK Biobank study collected between 2013 and 2015. (bmjgroup.com) The average participant age was 57, 56% were female, and 96% were white, according to the BMJ Group summary. Participants wore a wrist device for seven consecutive days to record their usual exercise levels and completed a cycle test used to estimate VO2 max, a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness. (bmjgroup.com) The researchers also included smoking status, alcohol intake, self-rated health, diet, body mass index, resting heart rate and blood pressure in the analysis. ### Why did VO2 max matter so much in this analysis? VO2 max was the study’s key measure of cardiorespiratory fitness. BMJ Group described it as the maximum rate at which the body consumes and uses oxygen during intense exercise, reflecting how efficiently the heart, lungs and muscles deliver and use oxygen. The researchers argued that cardiorespiratory fitness varies widely and is a strong predictor of cardiovascular health. (bmjgroup.com) Their results suggested a one-size-fits-all exercise target may miss those differences, because less-fit adults appeared to need slightly more activity than very fit adults to get the same cardiovascular benefit. ### What outcomes were researchers actually tracking? During an average follow-up of 7.8 years, the study recorded 1,233 cardiovascular events. Those included 874 cases of atrial fibrillation, 156 myocardial infarctions, 111 cases of heart failure and 92 strokes, according to the BMJ Group release. The study was observational, which means it identified associations rather than proving that a specific amount of exercise directly caused the risk reduction. (bmjgroup.com) The published summary nonetheless said the findings suggest current exercise guidance may be too low if the goal is a substantial reduction in cardiovascular risk. ### How many people were actually exercising that much? (bmjgroup.com) Only 12% of people in the study reached the 560-to-610-minute range tied to substantial protection. That figure helps explain why the result stands out from minimum-guideline messaging, which is designed as a baseline target rather than an estimate of the level associated with the largest observed benefit. (bmjgroup.com) BMJ Group listed the paper in its media hub on May 20, 2026, under the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The next step for readers who want the full methods and caveats is the journal publication and the underlying UK Biobank-based analysis described in the release. (bmjgroup.com 1) (bmjgroup.com 2)